


Distraction and Discoveries

by endlessiterationsofthesamefoolishness



Category: K (Anime)
Genre: F/M, Feelings Realization, Light Angst, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:20:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22258606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/endlessiterationsofthesamefoolishness/pseuds/endlessiterationsofthesamefoolishness
Summary: Kuroh helps Kukuri with the school bake sale, leading to some misunderstandings and realizations.
Relationships: Yukizome Kukuri/Yatogami Kurou
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	Distraction and Discoveries

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anime_sock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anime_sock/gifts).



> This is a bit long, and it is also not exactly what I planned on when I started it, but I hope it is still true to the characters and that you like it.

* * *

“Here we are,” Kuroh said, setting down the heavy crate of supplies for her. “If you need anything else, simply let me know.”

He bowed his head to her, and Kukuri smiled, bowing in return and trying not to giggle. Kuroh could be so formal sometimes, and every time he was, it gave a bit of a thrill. She didn’t know many people who were as polite as he was, and she certainly felt special every time he was.

“Thanks again, Kuroh. I’ll call if I need any more help.”

He nodded to her and left the room. She smiled as she watched him go, not really ready to get started on her latest project for the student council.

“Wow, Kukuri,” another girl said as she came up to her, and Kukuri prepared herself to explain what they needed to do. “Your boyfriend is such a gentleman. You are so lucky.”

“Yes, Kuroh is a perfect gentleman. He’s so calm and kind and—”

The other girls squealed, and she frowned at them. Rise stood, her hand on her hip, almost staring Kukuri down. “How did you get so lucky? He’s hot _and_ a gentleman. Does he have a brother? How did you two start dating, anyway? Did you confess to him? Or did he confess to you?”

Kukuri blinked. “What?”

Rise laughed. “Oh, she’s being shy.”

“No wonder. She’s got a great guy, and she wants to keep him all to herself.”

“That’s not it at all,” Kukuri said, reaching into the crate and taking out the supplies. “I need each of you to start working on this. We only have a few days before the alumni bake sale, and this needs to be ready by then.”

Rise leaned across the table, getting in Kukuri’s face. “Have you two kissed yet?”

“Bake sale,” she insisted, her cheeks flaming. She knew she’d been humiliated before, in front of the entire school, when a boy declared his feelings for her and she couldn’t reciprocate them, but somehow this felt worse. How could they have gotten things between her and Kuroh so wrong? He was just so helpful… “Now. Come on.”

“I don’t think they’ve kissed yet,” Hina said, and Rise nodded in agreement. “Are you waiting for a special day?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Uh-huh. I mean, if he wasn’t your boyfriend, he’d be fair game. I wonder if he’d like me,” Rise said, standing and making a pose like an idol. She had it all—perfect hair, perfect figure, perfect pose. She even made the school uniform look somehow sexy.

In short, she was just about everything Kukuri wasn’t. That didn’t matter, though. Kuroh was just a dear friend, a very helpful one.

And he wouldn’t really like that other girl anyway, would he?

Catching herself in the thought, she frowned. That wasn’t like her, and Kuroh was free to like whoever he liked. She hoped it wasn’t Rise and someone really good to him like he’d be to any girl he dated, since she’d seen how nice he was to her and Neko, but as long as he was happy, she’d be happy for him.

* * *

For the next few days, Kukuri found herself watching almost helplessly as Rise did her best to flirt with Kuroh. He stayed as polite as ever, but it was impossible to get a word in edgewise with Rise and any number of her friends trying to get his attention. Kukuri almost regretted asking him for help. She was behind on the preparations for the bake sale, so she could use someone who actually did something besides gossip, but when he was here, he couldn’t do anything but get caught up by the girls.

She shook her head and turned her attention to the sign she was making.

“Kukuri.” Kuroh’s voice behind her almost made her jump. “Sorry. I did not mean to interrupt you. I simply wished to know if there was more I could be assisting with.”

“Oh. Yes. I… would you take this flier to the copier and make twenty copies for me? I asked Rise, but she seems to have other things to do.”

Kuroh glanced towards the girls. “It does seem you have less willing helpers this time than at the winter festival.”

“The alumni bake sale isn’t as big of an event, and most people don’t even show up for it. No one cares.”

“All men should take pride in their work and give it the effort and diligence it deserves regardless of how trivial it may seem.”

She almost laughed when she saw the recorder in Kuroh’s hand. “Thanks, Kuroh. You really are wonderful to help with all this.”

He bowed his head. “Anything for a friend. Neko considers you family, after all.”

_And you?_ Kukuri found herself wanting to ask. _What do you see me as?_

Only that was absurd. He’d just told her, hadn’t he? She was a friend to him, that was all.

“Kukuri, are you certain you are feeling well? Your face is flushed and you did not seem to hear what I said just now.”

“Hmm? Oh. I think I’m just a bit worried about this bake sale going smoothly. It’s nothing.”

“If you are certain...”

“Oh, yes. Definitely yes. Thank you. You are always such a big help.”

* * *

That night, she sat down in her room and tried to figure out just what was wrong with her. She had a project to run for the school, and it was one thing that the other girls got distracted by Kuroh, but Kukuri had never been like that before. She wanted to believe she was just frustrated by her inability to get anyone to focus, but she kept having these odd thoughts and she was acting strange.

Kuroh was a friend, so it wasn’t like she didn’t know him. To have his image come to her mind when the other girls gushed over his smile or his hair, that was natural, since she knew exactly what he looked like. She knew the softness of his eyes when he spoke of his old master and his fond times with him. She knew the slight tic of his lips when he was trying to be stern with Neko but had to laugh at the situation just like the rest of them. She knew the slight frown when he disapproved but didn’t think it his place to say that Shiro or anyone else was wrong. She knew his look when he was exasperated, knew that special smile of contentment he got sometimes when he had a moment of perfect peace.

She swallowed. Was it weird she knew all that? Surely not. She was a friend, after all.

She heard a knock on the door and frowned, rising to go to the door. She didn’t know who would be here at this time of night, but she wouldn’t be surprised if it was someone needing homework help again. She could use that kind of a distraction instead of this one.

She opened the door and blinked in surprise. “Kuroh? What are you doing here?”

He bowed his head. “Forgive the lateness of my visit.”

“That’s no problem. I’m sure it’s important,” she said, since she didn’t know anything else that would bring him here so late. He was too thoughtful for that. She backed away to let him inside. “Is something wrong with Neko? Or Shiro?”

“Your concern for them is admirable,” he said, and she smiled at him. “However, it is actually concern for you that prompted my visit.”

“For me?”

He nodded. “Yes. Over the past few days, I have noticed you did not seem yourself. I have been wondering if you were ill. I know you have much to do with the preparations for the bake sale, but even so, your mind seemed preoccupied, and your spirits lower than usual. You told me you were fine, but I do not believe that to be true.”

She forced a smile. He was so kind. “I was thinking about that tonight, trying to figure out just what might be wrong with me. And I think I know now.”

“Then you are ill and we should take you to the doctor?”

“No. I’m not sick. Not in that sense.”

“Mental health is just as important. Master Ichigen used to always tell us that a healthy mind made a healthy body possible. If that is the kind of care you need—”

“It’s not that, either. I’m not depressed. Well, okay, I am a little, but…”

“Please let us help you. We all care about you a great deal.”

“I know, and that’s what makes this so troublesome,” she said, frowning. He frowned in turn, and she took a deep breath. “I thought about it all night, and I think… I think I like you as more than a friend, Kuroh. I didn’t think it was that at first, but the girls kept going on and on about how attractive you are and how kind you are and I knew all that before, but I… I got jealous, hearing them talk that way about you. It shouldn’t have bothered me because you’re a good friend and you are all the nice things they said about you, but it did. And I realized that I _was_ jealous. I found myself wishing I’d let them go on thinking we were dating so I wouldn’t have to hear them talk or see them try and flirt with you. I was miserable watching them do it, but I kept trying to tell myself it was about the bake sale. I know now it wasn’t, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry any of you. I was distracted. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. All those things they said, my fear that you’d actually pick one of them when you are so much kinder than they are, thinking a gentleman like you deserved a real lady and how none of us are that and...”

Kuroh said nothing, so she forced another smile.

“Anyway, I know what it is now, so I can work on the bake sale properly. I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. You’re crying.”

Was she? Well, she supposed that made sense. She’d just admitted to a bunch of feelings she shouldn’t have and probably made things really awkward for them. She knew how hard it was to face someone who’d confessed to feelings she didn’t share, and she hadn’t wanted to do that to Kuroh, but he deserved the truth, too, and if she hadn’t said anything, he’d still be worried enough to try and take her to a doctor when she was fine. Mostly.

He rubbed the tear off her cheek. “You are all that is kind and good, Kukuri.”

She almost shook her head, but then she wouldn’t feel his touch anymore, and she wanted to hold onto that for just a little bit longer. “No, I’m not.”

“You are. Even in this, you consider my feelings more than your own. I am honored by what you have given me.”

She struggled to stay calm. Kuroh’s rejection hurt even though she knew it was coming and he was being so kind about it.

“Miss Kukuri Yukizome,” he said, dropping to his knees and bowing to her, “will you allow me to escort you to this bake sale and any future events you may attend?”

What was he asking her? Surely he wasn’t wanting to make that a date, was he? Or was he? She was confused. “I… what?”

He looked up at her with a tender expression in his eyes, and she realized she wasn’t mistaken in what he was asking her at all.

She nodded happily. “Yes, of course.”

Kuroh stood, taking her hands in his. “I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, then. Please take care of yourself and get plenty of rest.”

“Yes, and you, too.”

He smiled, letting go of her and starting for the door.

“Kuroh?”

He stopped, looking back at her, and she felt embarrassed all over again. She didn’t need some big display of emotion from him, and it wasn’t him to make one, though he had.

He came back to her side. “Yes, of course, something more is expected under such circumstances.”

He pressed his lips gently to the top of her head, sending a feeling of warmth all through her.

“Good night, Kukuri.”


End file.
